ABOUT US
2025 Gold Country Trails Council Officers and Board of Directors
President: Helen Crawford
Vice President: Cathy Scott Secretary: Tracey Cunningham Treasurer: Toni Owen Past President: Jamie Canon |
Board of Directors:
Corrie Silva Mary McMillan Julie McManus Address: Gold Country Trails Council (GCTC) P.O. Box 753 , Cedar Ridge, CA 95924 Email: [email protected] |
2025 Gold Country Trails Council Leads and Committee Heads
Camp Cook: Debbie Molloy
Communications, Web Site and Social Media: Jaede Miloslavich Forest Service Liaison: Mary Johnson GCTC Webstore: Open Hospitality: Phyllis Fanning and Dee Meredith Little Lasier Meadow: Mary Johnson Membership: Suzanne Barry Newsletter Editor: Donna MacMillen Poker Ride Fundraiser: Cathy Scott |
Parades: Karrie Dunham
Publicity: Donna MacMillen Skillman Water Manager: Barry Vaccaro Skillman Campground: Open Sunshine: Andi Duncan Tool Cache Managers: Suzanne & Barry Vaccaro Trail Ride Coordinator: Jamie Canon Trail Workday Coordinator: Mary Johnson |
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2024 GOLD COUNTRY TRAILS COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN

In 2016, the GCTC Board directed that a 2017 Strategic Plan be developed which would provide a comprehensive plan and guidance for future strategies and projects. A committee of ten GCTC members and with the input from a survey of the membership, produced a long term strategic plan. That plan was in place until 2023. GCTC is working on the new plan for 2024. You can read the new plan here.
We retained the mission statement:
"GCTC is an organization committed to develop, maintain, and advocate for safe integrated trails for equestrians and other non-motorized users."
We retained the GCTC vision statement:
"Public access to trails for equestrian use."
Goals, strategies and projects were developed to document the future directions that could be undertaken by GCTC over the next five years. The goals are: 1. Develop and maintain trails. 2. Build a strong internal organization 3. Provide meaningful education to the membership 4. Market and promote GCTC 5. Develop a cooperative and working relationship with like minded groups, including the Forest Service 6. Engage the membership to be more involved in GCTC activities.
A list of strategies and projects were established for each goal based on input from the membership online Survey, committee members and membership input. The strategies and projects will be reviewed by the Board each year and priorities will be established as to which projects should be accomplished with the help and support of the membership.
GCTC was founded as a non-motorized trail building and maintenance organization and the plan adheres to those roots, provides goals and projects to sustain those founding beliefs.
We retained the mission statement:
"GCTC is an organization committed to develop, maintain, and advocate for safe integrated trails for equestrians and other non-motorized users."
We retained the GCTC vision statement:
"Public access to trails for equestrian use."
Goals, strategies and projects were developed to document the future directions that could be undertaken by GCTC over the next five years. The goals are: 1. Develop and maintain trails. 2. Build a strong internal organization 3. Provide meaningful education to the membership 4. Market and promote GCTC 5. Develop a cooperative and working relationship with like minded groups, including the Forest Service 6. Engage the membership to be more involved in GCTC activities.
A list of strategies and projects were established for each goal based on input from the membership online Survey, committee members and membership input. The strategies and projects will be reviewed by the Board each year and priorities will be established as to which projects should be accomplished with the help and support of the membership.
GCTC was founded as a non-motorized trail building and maintenance organization and the plan adheres to those roots, provides goals and projects to sustain those founding beliefs.
OUR HISTORY
The Gold Country Trails Council was formed in 1981 by a group of Nevada County citizens to fill the need for non-motorized trails in Nevada County and surrounding foothills. The main purpose of this volunteer organization is to provide non-motorized trails and campgrounds for public use. The Council also provides construction and maintenance of group equestrian campgrounds, construction and maintenance of trails and staging areas, and provides maps and trail educational materials.
The citizen volunteers in the Gold Country Trails Council have constructed over 30 miles of trails within the Tahoe National Forest. Most of the public trails are located in the Highway 20 scenic corridor east of Nevada City. The first trail built was named the Pioneer Trail because it follows the route early pioneers took when traveling over the Sierra-Nevada Mountains to Nevada City. The Council has extended the Pioneer Trail from its trailhead five miles east of Nevada City with the Gold Country Equestrian Staging Area on Conservation Road to the Spaulding Lake Trail which connects to the Grouse Ridge Trail and the non- motorized Grouse Ridge Area. The Pioneer Trail was built and extended in cooperation with Caltrans, Tahoe National Forest, Boy Scouts of America, California Youth Authority, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. It has earned the designation of an official National Recreation Trail. Two group horse camps have been built and are being maintained by the Council. Little Lasier Meadow Horse Camp near Truckee, and Skillman Horse Camp, which is located on Highway 20 above Nevada City. Both horse camps provide individual truck and trailer parking spaces, hitching posts, corrals, fire rings, picnic tables, restrooms and water for stock. During the construction and maintenance of horse camps and trails, the Council members have provided thousands of volunteer hours to Nevada County and the Tahoe National Forest. The Gold Country Trails Council is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization. |